How Lily got James
by Little Miss Invisible
Summary: What if it had been the other way around? What if Lily chased James? What if James hated Lily? How would Lily win James' heart? Spans from Year 1 to Year 7. Lily-centric


First Year:

An 11 year old Lily Evans walked up to James Potter just after their Charms class. They had just discussed the Levitating Charm and Lily was the only person who could do it.

"Hey James, I was wondering if you want me to help you practice the Levitating Charm?"

"As if I would need help from you. I'm can do the charm I just wanted to give others a chance to try it without the pressure of knowing someone else can do it." He sneered at her.

"Ok then-"

James walked away before Lily could continue speaking leaving Lily alone in the Charms Corridor.

"I guess I'll walk alone back to Gryffindor Tower again. After all, no one wants to be friends with the weird muggleborn who's in love with James Potter, right?"

Second Year:

A now 12 year old Lily Evans was making her way to Gryffindor Tower with a newly written poem to recite to James. She told the password to the Fat Lady and went into the common room. She tried to get into her dorm room but she found the door was locked.

She heard the sounds of a slumber party taking place and knocked loudly on the door. They opened the door but it was only to leave out her trunk and to tell her "We're sorry but it's been ages since we last had a sleepover. You understand right? Thanks a bunch!" for the 4th time this year.

Once again she was forced to curl up in front of the fire because her roommates decided to ban her from the dorm room for another preposterous reason but deep down, she knew the real reason why they didn't include her was because they would be poking fun at her because she loved James.

She could nothing about it even though she loved him with all of her heart. Her poem would just have to wait until the next morning, she though positively. At least her roommates were kind enough to give her her trunk so she could do her homework, she thought, as she started on her Potions essay.

Third Year:

It was with a heavy heart that Lily looked around Hogsmeade. All of the stores were filled with couples, one of them being James and her roommate, Mary McDonald. Of course, it was Valentine's Day and as usual Lily was left alone but this time in a new place, the hamlet, Hogsmeade. Lily had known about it for the past weeks with Mary incessantly prattling on about James and how "romantic" he was.

"Why can't James see the real me and see that I love him? Why is he so bent on hating me? Why can't he give me a chance? One chance is all I need." Lily whispered into the wind.

And honestly, Lily thought, she knew that James could be sweet and kind and chivalrous but never to her. She'd given him chocolates though even though he was bound to dump them in the rubbish bin. She also greeted him this morning and was given a grunt in return.

As she walked the streets of the Hogsmeade, she couldn't help but sigh and wish that James was walking with her. Even though it's been 3 years of rejection and humiliation, Lily couldn't help but still be in love with James Potter.

Fourth Year:

14 year old Lily Evans walked into the Great Hall with a beaming smile, as James had broken up with his girlfriend of 3 weeks, Sarah Jones from Hufflepuff, last night. Her smile then faded as she saw yet another blond head sitting atop James' lap.

She made her way to her usual spot at the end of the table alongside younger students whom she'd tutored in her free time. She was greeted with the regular chorus of Good Mornings and responded with a cheery one herself.

Chatter started up amongst the group but Lily didn't take part in any of it. They noticed her gazing longingly at James Potter. They started whispering to each other.

"It's been four years and she hasn't given up on him." "I don't get what the big deal is about James!" "Why is Lily so hung up on that guy?" "I think that it's sweet she still fights for him even though he doesn't want her." "She's too lovesick to notice he hates her."

 **Everyone** knew about Lily's crush on James. It was obvious that James doesn't reciprocate from the way he flaunted his girlfriends in front of Lily. This never brought down Lily and she still remained positive in the hopes he would eventually change his mind.

Of course, Lily was always different around James. Ever since first year, she'd always behave differently. She'd be a bit more demure and she'd try to seem more appealing by acting shy and controlling her infamous temper.

This never changed anything though. If anything, it made James dislike her more. It seemed Lily could never win. At least, she's got Charms and Potions to cheer up today, she thought with a sigh as she started eating her breakfast.

Fifth Year:

It was just after they had finished their exams that James Potter and Lily Evans were talking or rather, James was walking away from Lily while Lily tried to catch up.

"James what did I honestly do to make you hate me?"

"Let's see." He said mockingly, counting the reasons on his hand. "You exist, you chase after me like a puppy that won't leave me alone no matter how many times I've kicked you, you embarrass yourself and I can't even reject you without people saying I'm rude. You're ruining my reputation!"

"James, I never meant to be like that. Can't you see why I do this?"

"Correction, you think you know why you do this. Stop pestering me and get on with that pitiful existence you call your life."

"James, why won't you give me a chance?" Lily said, grabbing onto James' forearm.

"Leave me alone, Evans!" James said, snarling as he turned around and shook off her hold. "It's bad enough that my parents have died, don't make it worse for me by having to become the villain again and reject you because I don't like and will **never** like you." James said, finally turning around and walking off with Remus and Sirius trailing behind.

Lily was left underneath the tree, stunned by the revelation and trying to figure out how the hell she was going to fix this.

Sixth Year:

Lily had backed off from James at the start of the year. It didn't change anything though. James still insulted her and degraded her and flaunted his girlfriends in front of her. She still loved him but after last years' incident, she thought it would have been better to give him some space.

Luckily, she was very busy from being a prefect and taking the 7 NEWT subjects. Of course, after being prefects together last year, she'd gotten to know Remus who was one of James' closest friends and a member of the infamous Marauders.

The two studied together since they shared the same subjects and even though Remus knew she still liked James, he never pressed and allowed her to pine away even though he knew deep down James was warming up to her. Remus might have had a hand in this though.

"James, promise me you'll stop targeting Lily. She's avoiding you for Christ's sake. You're hurting her James and you know she doesn't deserve it."

Lily avoided James instead of going out of her way to see him. She didn't care if he was partnered with her or not. She didn't bother with him anymore and it hurt her to see him so relieved that she stopped pestering him.

But if he was happy, she was happy.

Seventh Year:

This year, Lily was made Head Girl and James was Head Boy. They had to work together a lot so they formed a tentative truce. Remus was happy James had finally taken his advice. James grew to like Lily and they became good friends.

Lily still loved him though but like last year, she knew it was time to give up. She had no hope with James and she'd accepted it by now. James had been shocked when he found out about the many things they had in common and when Lily's parents were killed, James was her shoulder to cry on.

James was falling for the funny but serious girl he found in his fellow Head and when Christmas came, Lily was shocked when James asked her out. She never thought that he would fall for her the way she did for him.

She thought she would be stuck being just friends for him as she watched him fall in love with another girl. Yet here he was, asking her out on a date after 7 years of chasing him. She said yes and the couple never looked back.

Sirius would claim that he knew it was inevitable. Remus would claim that they were meant to be from the start. James would say that Lily's dedication in chasing him paid off but Lily would only laugh and think about how she never truly gave up on James and how it was worth seven years of waiting.

Epilogue:

James and Lily were married 2 years after graduating. Lily became a healer and James, an Auror. The couple had one child, Hadrian Jameson Potter, nicknamed Harry. They died so he would live. Lily and James were proud of what their son had accomplished. Lily and James' love was so strong that even death could not part them.


End file.
